At the closing debate of the 2025 Forum of Cities and Regions for International Partnerships, local and regional leaders from across Europe and partner countries called for a stronger territorial dimension in the EU’s Global Gateway strategy. Over two and a half days of discussions, representatives of regions, cities, development banks, implementing partners and EU institutions underlined that Global Gateway will only succeed if it fully integrates subnational authorities into planning, implementation, and governance.
Opening the debate, Koen Doens, Director-General of DG INTPA at the European Commission, thanked participants for their contributions and highlighted the strong engagement already visible on the ground. He noted that 89% of Global Gateway projects surveyed have involved local and regional authorities, and nearly 30% are led by them, demonstrating the essential role cities and regions play in translating EU ambitions into real impact. “Local authorities have first-hand knowledge of their communities’ needs and aspirations,” he said, adding that they are crucial in delivering services such as water, sanitation, education, and local transport, and in cultivating relationships that make development efforts effective and sustainable.
Speaking on behalf of the European Committee of the Regions’, Juan Manuel Moreno, First Vice-President of the CoR, described the Forum as “a true celebration of global collaboration and local leadership,” thanking the hundreds of participants for their active engagement. He stressed the need for continued EU support for public diplomacy at subnational level and emphasised that cooperation between territories is key to building “a better and more sustainable future.”
From the perspective of local representatives, the message was clear: Global Gateway must be designed with territories, not for them. Lorenzo Vigo, Councillor of Cassano Valcuvia and Young Elected Politician, highlighted that Global Gateway reflects the EU’s geopolitical ambition but stressed that such ambition can only be realised by placing territories at its core. He underlined the need to involve young people in decision-making and insisted that policies must remain close to citizens to be credible and effective.
Adding to this territorial perspective, Giuseppe Guida, Provincial Councillor of Caserta, emphasised that every project must be rooted in sustainable development, social inclusion, and local resilience. He noted that the scale of Global Gateway — mobilising up to 300 billion euros by 2027 — requires direct involvement of local authorities who can ensure transparency and inclusive governance. He called for a stable co-design approach, aligning investments with community priorities to ensure long-lasting results and stronger ownership.
Pablo Gustavo Broseta Dupré, Vice-Minister for Representation to the European Union and the Spanish Autonomous Regions, Government of the Region of Valencia, reaffirmed the strategic importance of decentralised cooperation. He stressed that the Region of Valencia has actively worked to secure funding and build alliances with public and private partners, adding: “Only multi-level action will guarantee the success of the Global Gateway approach.” Broseta Dupré emphasised that decentralised cooperation must remain central because Europe’s cities, villages, and regions bring democratic legitimacy, practical experience, and the ability to connect investments to real community needs.
Throughout the debate a unified message emerged: local and regional authorities are not spectators — they are essential partners with the capacity to drive global transformation. Participants called for a stronger institutional role for territories within Global Gateway to ensure projects are rooted in local realities, generate measurable results, and foster long-term development partnerships.
The Global Gateway is a European strategy to boost smart, clean and secure links in digital, energy and transport sectors, while also strengthening health, education and research systems across the world.